The present invention relates to a system for inputting documents inclusive of graphs to a computer. More specifically, the invention relates to a document input method and apparatus, adapted to draw fair copies of graphs and sketches such as drawings and schematic diagrams.
According to a conventional apparatus as disclosed in, for example, Tony Bove et al., The Art of Desktop Publishing Using Personal Computers To Publish It Yourself, Chapter 4, pp. 113-128, Bantam Computer books, 1986, the figure that is input through an image scanner simply occupies a corner of the document independently of a figure that is manually input. Therefore, the figures are input through trial and components that constitute the figure, thus requiring long work to complete the input operation. Even when a figure is input through the image scanner, it is necessary to again make a fair copy of all constituent elements of the figure so that each element can be processed independently. Namely, attention has not been given with regard to the efficiency of the input operation.
In a document processor used for preparing a document displaying the results of key operations, the operations are in many cases carried out while looking at the sketch and comparing it with the displayed results.
In such a case, in general, a user determines the layout of document while making reference to the sketch that is placed near the document processor, and produces a similar layout on the display.
In order to adjust the layout of the displayed document to be the same as that of the sketch according to the above prior art, however, a lot of trial and error is required for the compilation operation that is carried out to obtain a desired layout, causing the input efficiency to be very low.